Faculty Teaching Awards

Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.

Robert's field studies of nonhuman primates, specifically a troop of baboons in Botswana, have illuminated how primate relationships may reflect the evolutionary origins of social relationships, intelligence and language in humans. He will be inducted at a ceremony on Oct. 6, at the Academy’s headquarters in Cambridge, Mass.

The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology is the nation's premier professional society in brain, behavior, and psychopharmacology research dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of and facilitating communication about disorders of the brain and behavior in order to advance their prevention and treatment. Their members have been instrumental in developing many of the compounds used today to treat psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Nancy Bonini, Lucille B. Williams Professor of Biology, was elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences, an honor considered to be one of the highest a United States scientist or engineer can receive. Members were chosen for their achievements in original research. The 2012 Academy class consists of 84 members and 21 foreign associates.

Bonini’s research examines the mechanisms of human neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and Alzheimer’s diseases. Using the genetics of fruit flies, she creates models for human degeneration to provide insight into disease mechanisms. These studies aim to improve understanding of neural decline as a result of aging that will lead to new approaches for treatments.